That’s Not What the Bible Says

How to read the Bible with discernment in an age of misinformation

We can search the internet for “what the Bible says” about a topic and get instant answers. Bible-based discussions proliferate across video channels, podcasts, and social media. But quantity isn’t quality, and immediacy isn’t a guarantee of genuine insight. The sound bites that circulate online tend to skip over one of the most important questions of all: How does anyone actually know what the Bible says?

In this lively book, New Testament scholar and teacher Laura Robinson identifies prevalent misconceptions about the Bible—especially ideas that are popular online—that deserve closer examination. Her aim isn’t to give readers the “right” answer but to show them how good answers are arrived at—in other words, to reveal the processes that thoughtful readers of Scripture use to draw conclusions about what they’re reading.

Chapter by chapter, Robinson teaches readers to think like a historian and a theologian: to weigh evidence, evaluate sources, and see why the most appropriate response to a major question is usually more complicated—and far more fascinating—than a viral hot take. The Bible, after all, is a collection of texts written across centuries and genres, and to read it well we need time-tested interpretive tools. 

Readers of That’s Not What the Bible Says are likely to come away with new questions. That’s the point; this isn’t a book about what to think, but how. Both helpful and hopeful, this book is a valuable resource for people who engage regularly with online content about the Bible, people who are curious about Scripture, and lifelong learners.